Photographic-background carrier



(No Model.)

M. V. SHAPF.

PHOTOGRAPHIG BACKGROUND CARRIER.

Patented Jan. 25, 1898.

ATTOZJYZY- INITED STATES PATENT arrest PHOTOGRAPHlC-BACKGROUND CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 597,788,

dated January 25, 1898.

Application filed July 3, 1896. Serial No. 598,024. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, MARTIN V. SHAFF, of the city of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Background-Supporters, of which the follow ing is a full, clear, and exact description or specification, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the letters marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to provide a frame or support for carrying and adjusting the position of flexible backgrounds, such as are used in the galleries of photographic artists; and the essential feature of my invention is to enable the upper part of. the support from which the background is suspended to be automatically raised by means ofa falling weight or a spring and to be locked in any position or height that may be necessary or desirable to obtain the requisite height of the background.

On the annexed sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved background-supporter in its lowered or shut-up position-that is to say, the position which it occupies when not in use and ready for receiving a background. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of my improved background-supporter in the upraised position-that is to say, the position which its several parts occupy when in use in supporting or carrying a background. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of my improved background-supporter in a position corresponding to Fig. 2. Fig. i is an enlarged view showing the upper part of the parallel guides, the sliding bar, the antifriction-rollers, also the cord or chain passing over the pulley at the rear to the weight or which may be attached to. a spring instead of a weight.

In the figures the lower part of the frame is marked A, to which the cross-bars I3 are attached, whereto the casters 0 are fastened. At the center of this frame there are the two parallel guides D and D. At the upper part of the front guide D there is carried the antifriotion-roller E, and at the upper part of the rear guide D there is carried the cord or chain pulley F. These rollers are held in brackets, as shown more particularly at Fig. 4, attached to the front and rear portions of the top frame G. The sliding bar H passes down into the guides D and D between the front roller E and the rear pulley F. At its lower part the parallel sliding bar II carries the antifriction-roller I, which rotates in a bracket attached to the parallel bar H, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1-, from which arrangement it will be seen that the weight of the background J, Figs. 2 and 3, on being attached to the hooks K at each end of the cross-head L, carried at the top of the parallel bar H, causes the front edge of the bar H to be pressed against the antifriction-roller E and the rear antifriction -roller I to be pressed against the inner face of the guide D, so that the parallel bar H becomes supported laterally between the front and back antifriction rollers E and I, respectively. The tendency, too, of the weight M, Figs. 2 and 3, is to press the parallel sliding bar II also against these two antifriction-rollers.

The cam N, Fig. 4, is carried upon an axis in the bracket O, as shown, and is pressed into its uppermost position by means of a spiral spring P, whose lower end, resting upon the bracket Q, forces the cam N upward and thereby presses its inner end against the front edge of the bar H, thereby wedging and re t aining the bar H and its connections, together with the background, which it supports at any desired height or level to which it has been raised by the descent of the weight M. By applying the foot to the pedal or treadle R the cam is released from its pressure against the sliding bar II, and when so re leased the weight M, if not already in its lowest position, or the spring will raise the sliding connections and the background J to a still higher position, or if it is desired to lower the background then the sliding parts of the frame and its connections are free to be easily lowered by applying the hands of the attendant to the edges of the background and pullit downward to any position required, when the release of the foot from the pedal 0r treadle R again locks the sliding parts in the new or altered position.

Having now described the nature of mysaid invention and the best system, mode, or manner I am at present acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I desire to observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the invention to be secured to me by Letters Patent, is as follows:

The combination of the horizontal base and the vertical parallel guides, together constituting the lower half of the vertical sliding device, the antifriction-roller and cord-carrying pulley at the back and front respectively of the top of the lower vertical slide, the vertical bar and the horizontal bar at the top thereof with its hooks constituting the upper half of the vertical slide, the cord and weight attached to the lower end of the upper half of the vertical slide and the cord thence passing upward within the lower vertical slide MARTIN v. s rrArF.

Witnesses:

JAMES GARDINER, ST. JOHN DAY. 

